Grade 8: Choir Uses Music to Present Civil Rights Messages
Eighth graders in the choir program with Josh Gaffga recently collaborated on a musical performance based on their experience on the Civil Rights trip. The show travels the path from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthplace (Atlanta) to where he was assassinated in Memphis, the same journey taken by students on the eighth grade trip.
Eighth graders in the choir program with Josh Gaffga recently collaborated on a musical performance based on their experience on the Civil Rights trip. The show travels the path from Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthplace (Atlanta) to where he was assassinated in Memphis, the same journey taken by students on the eighth grade trip.
"I’ve been wanting to do a show like this to help students express what they experienced on the Civil Rights trip through song and movement since I started hearing stories from their trip," says Mr. Gaffga. "Now that I'm an eighth grade advisor and had the chance to experience the trip first-hand, the opportunity presented itself."
The groundwork for the show was laid last year, as music teachers started to "workshop" songs with the eighth grade. This year, with the addition of performing arts teachers Anna Phelan and Tara Neeley's movement, music and drama backgrounds, they were able to finally collaborate to bring the experience to life.
Mr. Gaffga says the choir is planning an evening performance for families, faculty and staff. Stay tuned for details!
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
